I'm not sure why you are so pessimistic. Weah turned 18 this year. Nkunku is 21 this year. Guedes is 22 this year. And Weah seems to be basically on equal footing with those players to this coach. No one believed Weah was going to step in and displace World Cup winner Mbappe, 222M Euro man Neymar, or Cavani. Relax, and let the guy develop. Not every person needs to be immediately sent on loan to develop if they are not a starter. Let's watch this play out just a touch.
If he's on such equal footing, why did Nkunku start? You (and the others) above are reading what you want into my post instead of what's there. Its like you are trying to be angry for the sake of it. I'm merely stating that Weah probably isn't going to be a regular this season. Does that mean he's bad? No. Does that mean he's not developing well? No. 3rd sub when three guys at his position are out usually isn't the type of position that would make one think the player is going to have a big role in the squad.
I am being "angry"? Good grief. No reason to be hyperbolic because I disagree with your take. And yes, I said they are "basically on equal footing." They appeared to get about the same amount of looks in preseason. Both started the Supercup game. Nkunku got the nod in game 1 of the season. But Weah got on, and quite honestly was more impressive in his 10 minute stint than Nkunku (who did get an assist). I would say that qualifies, for now, as being "basically on equal footing." You disagree. And the world keeps on spinning. I just think you are making too much of this at far too early of a stage. His development, which seems to be on a steep upward trajectory at the moment, will determine his looks to a large extent. And I don't see how Tuchel could be unhappy with the early returns. And we already know that he has no problem rewarding good play from young players. So let's enjoy it. We all know his playing time is not guaranteed.
A guy who gets 10 minutes in his first regular league game on the first day of the season is on track. Pulisic did something similar with Tuchel. Then they looked at the bugs in his game and sent him back to reserves for updates. then he came back and subbed in getting more and more minutes. C'mon, you know how it goes. Cavani and DiMaria get injured and weah has been getting minutes and then he starts in a cup game, etc., etc. This is how it is. You can look at it and see nothing but gloom and doom or you can just accept that he is coming along normally.
Did I say he is off track? I am not doom and gloom. You are trying to add doom and gloom to my assessment. I am merely stating his position in the rotation. Sorry if thats upsetting. I don't look at it as upsetting to give a clear picture of where he stands within the team. I wish he played more, and I like his development in the past year.
Assuming he would only get the minutes you anticipate this season with PSG, would you prefer it if he took a loan? And to what level? Thanks
Tuchels comments seem relevant to how Weah is viewed... always great to see opinions or conclusions formed from one game. I'm going to wait and see, but it looks like Weah is in a pretty good situation. [QUOTE ="punintended_13, post: 36998517, member: 166593"]Here are some comments from Tuchel that included Weah... How do you think the youth delivered? We started with three young people (Dagba, Nsoki, Bernède), and there were five at the end (with Weah and Diaby). They deserved to play because they worked hard for the last five weeks, with a good mentality. They improve constantly, and it's normal for me to play them, I trust them. It's not a question of a friendly match or not, they only have to be ready to play for the first team and in my opinion, they are. You must try. Why did Neymar start up top? He is not yet 100%, I gave him the opportunity to start in the middle because there is not the same intensity as on the side. But Cavani will come back and it was a tough decision to leave out Weah, who played every game when Neymar and the others were not there.[/QUOTE]
Neymar will not be favored as a lone striker as the season goes along. @bsky22 posted the Tuchel quotes on Weah. Weah will likely be behind Cavani and Mbappe and can provide injury cover on the wings. I think if Mbappe and Neymar are both healthy they would be prefered as wingers/wing forwards. If this is true, Cavani is the only stereotypical striker who Weah is competing with for roster spot. Assuming Neymar and Mbappe will spend majority I disagree with Nkunku being ahead of him as a striker. As a winger, yes. As a out and out striker, I doubt it. Nkunku is probably viewed as a higher talent so I can agree with that. Im focusing more on the striker position though. Weah also could be useful if they ever try 2 striker formations if Tuchel is looking for tactical flexibility.
I think training with the first team and spot minutes at PSG >>>> More minutes on loan to a smaller Ligue 1 side.
I went to SI planet futbol to see what I might have missed because I don't read it much these days. I began reading a YA article and they were writing how Weah had just scored in Trophee v. Monaco and yet another in the league opener, next to a photo of Weah on front page of L'Equipe, while one of those pop up screens was droning on and on about Pulisic's first touch and how he had to put the team on his back because there was nobody that good, he is the face of US soccer, blah, blah. One guy was saying he envied the other guy because he had 10 minutes with Pulisic discussing the importance of first touch . Actually, the reason Pulisic isn't going any further is that he touches the ball too much while missing the optimum pass. They should have discussed the importance of fewer touches. https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/08/13/usmnt-abroad-ligue-1-epl-bundesliga-christian-pulisic-tim-weah
If it was a different coach at PSG I'd be much more cynical about the playing time being provided to Weah. I'd think he should go on loan for consistent minutes as they'd dry up at PSG when all forwards are match fit. Tuchel, however, has a history of wanting to work with and develop young players. It won't be smooth sailing all the time. There will be stretches when Weah might not play. But I have faith that if he puts in the work behind the scenes, Tuchel will reward him. All the kid has done is play in the French Super Cup and the first LIgue 1 game of the season. As an 18 year old! How can there be an negativity about that?
Ezequiel Barco and Mason Toye are the only current U20s to have gotten starts at striker in this season's MLS league play. They combined for 7 starts. Equivalent numbers for the '17-'18 seasons of the Euro-leagues*: Ligue 1: 9 players(23 starts) _includes a Tim Weah start EPL: 3(25) B1: 10(33) La Liga: 1(2) Serie A: 9(48) Eredivisie: 9(38) *=Numbers include UCL and EL play.
To even things up a bit more, I checked for MLS forwards who had turned 20 earlier this year. The updated numbers would be 4 players(11 starts). Better, but still a ways off other leagues. Mason Toye was the lone American to get a start at striker.
The question is if you swapped the forwards would the numbers change. Are any forwards in U20 MLS good enough to get a lot of minutes in Europe and would Mbappe get minutes in MLS. If all of the very best American U20's go to Europe there's a greater chance they will get more minutes than lesser Americans who stay.